THE GIFT: A Highland Novella by Margaret Mallory Read Free Book Online

gathers together for days of feasting. ”
    “ That doesn ’ t sound so different from how we English celebrate the Advent season, ” she said.
    “ I suspect ye might find some of our other customs barbaric, ” he said. “ We ’ re good Christians, but we remember the Old Ways. ”
    “ Barbaric? ” she asked, her eyes sparkling. “ Tell me. ”
    “ We build great bonfires, ” he said, spreading his arms wide, “ dance, make music, drink, and listen to long tales. ”
    “ I can see you have fond memories of them, ” she said with a soft expression.
    “ Ye should come with me to the Isle of Islay for the Yuletide, ” he said. “ The Lord of Isles, the great chieftain of the MacDonalds who rules over all the Western Isles and most of the rest of the Highlands, will be there. The celebrations will be grand, with mountains of food and the best musicians in all the Highlands. ”
    Lily met his suggestion with silence and pressed her lips into a stubborn line, but he thought he saw longing in her eyes. He ignored a twinge of guilt over not telling her his true purpose. Whether Lily was destined to be his clan ’ s next seer or no, she would be better off wintering with his clan, where he could ensure her safety.
    “ I know how ye like long tales, ” he said, giving her a wink. “ There ’ s sure to be plenty of those. ”
    “ In Gaelic , ” she said.
    “ All the better for learning it. ”
    “What about those winter storms ye said would keep me here?” she asked, cocking her head.
    “Sailing through the islands isn’t nearly as dangerous as on the open sea,” he explained. “There are plenty of places for a boat to shelter during a storm.”
    “Going there would take me even farther away from London, ” she said. “ How would I ever get back to where I belong? ”
    Where did Lily belong? If she were truly the next seer, shouldn ’ t she have an inkling she belonged with his clan? His grandmother never seemed surprised by anything, but she ’ d had many years to hone her gift.
    “ Merchant ships visit from time to time, ” he said. “ Once the winter storms are past, it will not be difficult to find a ship to take ye to London. ”
    Lily was quiet for a long moment. He wondered why she was so torn, when going with him was clearly the safer choice. But she was a stubborn lass who wanted to believe she could take care of herself. And perhaps she could in London. But not here.
    “ This place — this island — where you want to take me, ” she finally said, “ is that where you live? ”
    “ Nay, but I ’ ll stay through Yuletide to see that you ’ re settled, ” he said. “ Then I must return to my duties on the Isle of Skye. ”
    Ach , the lass looked relieved to hear it. That was a blow to his pride. And yet he did not believe the fire between them was kindled all on his side. If all Lily wanted was a night of passion with no further entanglement, he ought to be relieved.
    The fact that he was not annoyed the hell out of him.
    ***
    “ Come to Islay, ” Roderick said. “ Ye don ’ t want to spend Yuletide alone. ”
    “ I usually do, ” she said. “ I prefer it that way. ”
    “ Ye don ’ t spend it with your family? ” He sounded startled.
    “ I avoid them as much as I can — especially on feast days, ” she said. “ My brothers, father, and uncles use any occasion as an excuse to get drunk and into fights, and they ’ re always asking to borrow money. ”
    Lily did not know why she was telling him about her family. She never spoke of them with anyone else.
    “ After I was apprenticed to the old healer, she and I enjoyed a quiet Christmas, lighting an extra candle and hanging greens in the shop, ” she said, smiling at the memory. “ We sold bits of mistletoe and holly all through Advent. ”
    Lily still sold mistletoe and hung greens during Advent, but she missed the old woman.
    “ Have ye no mother? ” Roderick asked in a quiet voice.
    “ She died when I was a